Alex Nelson led Team Nelly in honor of her husband who suffers from ALS. Download This File

Organizers say as many as 2,600 runners and walkers pounded the pavement Saturday morning to raise money for the Robert Packard Center at Hopkins for ALS treatment and research.

The 7th annual Fiesta 5K raised about $400,000, according to preliminary estimates.

The run started at Power Plant Live and continued into Harbor East and Canton.

The event is organized by Baltimore Ravens executive O.J. Brigance and his wife Chanda. Brigance, suffers from the crippling disease which has left him a wheelchair, and unable to talk. He speaks through a computer controlled by his eyes.

Coach John Harbaugh gave runners a pep talk before the race, calling Brigance the inspiration for the team's Super Bowl winning drive.

Harbaugh brought along 26 rookie players. After the coach's speech, each player hugged Brigance who sat in his wheelchair smiling.

Harbaugh and the players did not run the race. They returned to team headquarters in Owings Mills, where the team was holding a rookie camp.

A number of Ravens executives ran including team president Dick Cass, who finished the run in just over 24-minutes.

Members of the Towson University football team also ran the race.

Many of the runners formed teams in honor of loved ones who suffer from the disease, or other family members who have died from the hereditary disease.

"It affects people in their 30's, 40's 50's, 60's and 70's," said Alex Nelson, who formed Team Nelly in honor of her husband Andy who suffers from the disease.